Dan Campbell Offers Telling Update on Lions Star Sam LaPorta’s Week 1 Status
With the start of the 2026 season on the horizon, the Detroit Lions could be without star tight end Sam LaPorta for Week 1 action.
LaPorta suffered a hip injury, which casts his status for the season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 13 into question.
Head coach Dan Campbell voiced that he is giving the Pro Bowl tight end rest to allow him to recuperate before Week 1.
“It flared up a little bit, it’s a little aggravated,” Campbell said Thursday via ESPN. “But we feel good long-term about him. We’ll rest him for a little bit here and letting it calm down.”
The Lions have huge plans for LaPorta in 2026 as he’s been one of quarterback Jared Goff’s primary targets in the passing game. He’s coming off a frustrating campaign that saw his year end prematurely due to a season-ending herniated disk that required surgery, forcing him to miss eight games.
When healthy, LaPorta has proven himself to be one of the league’s top tight ends. In nine games last season, he had 40 catches for 489 receiving yards and three touchdowns, along with a career-high 12.2 yards per reception.
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Detroit will likely proceed with caution to give LaPorta a chance to take the field against the Saints. There is no rush to put him back into the mix before he’s ready to go.
If he’s unable to give it a go, expect the Lions to depend more on Amon-RaSt. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs.
